Fulbright Scholarships

Purpose

The Fulbright program was created by the U.S. Congress in 1946 “to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges.”

More information on the Fulbright Program.

Info Sessions

Check the calendar for current sessions hosted by Middlebury

See the US Student Fulbright Program Videos and Tutorials  andIIE Fulbright Overview (March 2026)

Miss the campus info session? Here’s a quick overview.

Grants Available

• Open Study/Research: Independent research, graduate programs, internships, or a combination of study and research. See the lists of field-specific award opportunities and graduate degree grants.
• English Teaching Assistant (ETA): Teach English language and culture in primary schools, high schools, and universities. See the list of countries that offer ETA grants.
• Grants available in 140+ countries.

Additional Information

• Tutorials about the Fulbright grants
• Fulbright U.S. Student Scholar Program
• News article on current Middlebury Fulbright recipients

Eligibility

• U.S. citizen or U.S. national. Permanent residents not eligible.
• Applicants must hold a BA or the equivalent degree before the beginning date of the grant. Applicants may not hold a doctoral degree at the time of application.
• See https://us.fulbrightonline.org/about/eligibility for full list of eligibility requirements.

Application Process

Carefully review the  Middlebury Fellowships’ documents:

• Visual Overview of Application Process
• Fulbright Guide for Applicants
• Ready for Campus Review: Instructions for Applicants

Note: We strongly encourage undergraduate alumni to apply through Middlebury. Senior applicants must apply through Middlebury. If you have difficult accessing these documents, contact us at fellowships@middlebury.edu .

Application Process and Deadlines 

See the Fulbright Guideline documents above for specific details and requirements. Each of the steps below are part of your application portal in Middlebury Apply.

1. April 15, 2026, Preliminary Application Deadline (recommended): Complete the online preliminary application in Middlebury Apply to start the application process. Review the app questions. You will receive feedback by mid-May to continue developing your application. If you start this after July 1, you will skip the preliminary application and start work on the full Fulbright application.
    
2. August 15, 2026, Intent to Apply Deadline: Let us know you intend to apply! Submit draft essays and draft Fulbright application (if available) for review and feedback. No recommendations or letters of affiliation are needed at this stage. See the application checklist for specific items  you will upload in Middlebury Apply for this deadline. Draft materials received after this deadline will be reviewed if the advisors have time to do so.
    
3. September 9, 2026 (noon), Middlebury Internal Deadline: Complete, proofed applications must marked as “Ready for Campus Review” in the Fulbright portal by this date. This locks the application. Applications should including recommendations, language evaluations, and affiliation letters by this date. (Contact us about any late materials.) The application is only seen by Middlebury advisors and interviewers. You will be able to make edits after this date. Any issues, email fellowships@middlebury.edu.
    
4. Interviews with the Middlebury Fulbright committee will be scheduled after the internal deadline, typically the third week in September. Interviews take place on Zoom.
    
5. Final Fulbright Deadline: Submit your Fulbright application before the national deadline, October 6, 2026, 5 pm ET. This sends your application to Fulbright. You will not be able to access your application after clicking “Submit.” Any issues, email fellowships@middlebury.edu. No late applications are accepted.

Contact

Lisa Gates, Associate Dean for Fellowships and Research
Davis Family Library 212
lgates@middlebury.edu

(802) 443-3183